The 10 most important things in the world right now
1. The Chinese and Taiwanese presidents are meeting on Saturday for the first time since 1949 to discuss improving relations, but not to sign any deals.
2. Russia said it bombed terrorist targets in Syria using coordinates supplied by opposition groups for the first time.
3. Honda dumped Takata as its airbag supplier, sending shares plunging nearly 20% on Wednesday, after US regulators announced a record $200 million fine for providing "inadequate and inaccurate information about its defective airbags."
4. Chinese stocks surged on Wednesday over the publishing of five-month-old comments from PBOC governor Zhou Xiaochuan, stating the Shenzhen-Hong Kong stock connect would begin operation before the end of 2015.
5. Thousands of people marched in Bucharest late on Tuesday to demand cabinet resignations over the way authorities grant permits to venues, following a nightclub fire over the that has killed at least 32 people.
6. Porsche has ordered a stop-sale on one of its most popular models, the Cayenne Diesel SUV, because it features the 3.0-liter V6 TDI allegedly equipped with emissions-cheating software in expanded accusations against Volkswagen.
7. Ohio voters rejected a ballot proposal on Tuesday that would have legalized marijuana for recreational and medical use.
8. US President Barack Obama will make a decision on the Keystone XL crude pipeline before he leaves office in 2017, an announcement that comes a day after TransCanada asked the Obama administration to delay a review of the project.
9. The airport on the Indonesian island of Bali has been closed and nearly 700 flights cancelled due to ash spewing from a volcano on the nearby island of Lombok.
10. The first group of refugees to be relocated from Greece were flown to Luxembourg on Wednesday.
And finally ...